uld help it, should long for toys in
vain. And the toy-shops also proved convenient whenever a child fell
ill, and needed a new toy to amuse it; and sometimes, on birthdays, the
fathers and mothers go to the toy-shops and get pretty gifts for their
children in honor of the happy event.

Perhaps you will now understand how, in spite of the bigness of the
world, Santa Claus is able to supply all the children with beautiful
gifts. To be sure, the old gentleman is rarely seen in these days; but
it is not because he tries to keep out of sight, I assure you. Santa
Claus is the same loving friend of children that in the old days used
to play and romp with them by the hour; and I know he would love to do
the same now, if he had the time. But, you see, he is so busy all the
year making toys, and so hurried on that one night when he visits our
homes with his packs, that he comes and goes among us like a flash; and
it is almost impossible to catch a glimpse of him.

And, although there are millions and millions more children in the
world than there used to be, Santa Claus has never been known to
complain of their increasing numbers.

"The more the merrier!" he cries, with his jolly laugh; and the only
difference to him is the fact that his little workmen have to make
their busy fingers fly faster every year to satisfy the demands of so
many little ones.

"In all this world there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child,"
says good old Santa Claus; and if he had his way the children would all
be beautiful, for all would be happy.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by
L. Frank Baum

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE, ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS ***

***** This file should be named 520.txt or 520.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/520/

Produced by Dennis Amundson

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG